Love & Hate: Version 2
by Avalon.Roxy
Summary: A re-write of my original character's introduction story. This time, the Ghostbusters hire additional help, but it's up to this new person and Janine to stop this latest adversary. RGB AU, OC included. Please, no destructive comments, thanks.


**Love & Hate**

As their various battles were getting more and more intense, Egon, Peter, Ray and Winston began to realize that the four of them alone was not enough anymore. Sometimes Janine was able to help them out, but to have her juggle ghostbusting with her secretarial duties would've placed undue stress on her. So, the four Ghostbusters decided that it was time to hire another person. An ad for a job placement was run in the local newspapers, without too many details. This was a preventive measure so that there wouldn't be a huge influx of people vying for the position.

Several applicants tried but failed. One of them was so bad at handling a particle thrower that they nearly brought down the firehouse roof. It wasn't until a month after the ad was placed, that this one person saw it, and decided to reply. She headed over to the address listed and to her surprise, found herself in front of GBHQ. Hmm, this should be interesting, she thought, knocking on the door, then after a couple seconds, pushed it open. "Hello?" she called out. Since Janine had gone home for the day, Egon came to answer the door.

"Are you here in regards to the job application?"

"Yes. I'm Clara Hamilton, and you are..."

"Spengler, Dr. Egon Spengler." He shook her hand escorted her in. "Here, let me find you a chair so you can sit down." As Egon walked around Janine's desk, looking for an extra, he ended up tripping over the trash can beside the desk. "What the-", Egon muttered, "Damn it Peter, stop moving garbage receptacle." Egon finally decided on grabbing Janine's chair. "Okay. Well, Miss Hamilton-"

"Please, call me Clara."

"Right, Clara. Well, I'll get right to the point. Our battles with the supernatural are getting more intense. So it was decided that another addition to our team is needed."

"You mean, another Ghostbuster?"

"Correct. Now, I will not lie to you. This job is not for just any person. It is physically taxing, it takes precision, and can get messy at times. We have had several applicants, but none of them have worked out so far."

"Dr. Spengler, I'm ready for anything." Clara told him. "I'm always willing to learn new things."

"You can call me Egon."

"Okay, Egon.

"Your willingness to learn new things and take on the challenges of ghostbusting is good to hear. So, perhaps you can tell me a little about yourself?"

"Alright. I went to Columbia University to study music, so I could get work in a recording studio either as a sound engineer, a producer, or as a recording session player. But I also needed a back-up degree, so I took a minor in Physics. Perhaps that might help."

"It just might." Egon was intrigued. "What instruments can you play? Since, I assume that a recording session musician most likely needs to be proficient in multiple instruments."

"I play a few. Piano, guitar, bass guitar and the drums." Clara replied.

"Fascinating."

"I'm also a gymnast, but I only got up to Level 3. I had to quit due to financial constraints."

"Have you been able to get work in the music industry?" Egon asked.

"Not as of yet. It's very competitive, so I haven't had any luck."

"It's probably for the best. Now, Janine, our secretary, she usually does applicant screening," Egon dug around in her desk. "Now where is that list of questions she had asked Winston?" After several seconds, Egon gave up looking for it. "Okay, never mind the paper. I just wanted to know, and we ask this of every applicant, whether you believe in the supernatural. Ghosts, spectres, poltergeists, phantoms, goblins, and theories like astral-projection, mental telepathy, UFO's and the Theory of Atlantis? I'm sure that's all that Janine had asked."

"Most of it. But as long as I'm paid regularly, I'll believe whatever I come across." Clara replied.

"Excellent. Well, I like your enthusiasm. We've had enthusiastic applicants before. But yours is, different. Welcome aboard."

"Thank you." Clara shook Egon's hand. "You won't regret this."

"Come on, I'll introduce you to the others." Then Egon noticed that Clara was looking at him funny. "Is there something wrong?"

"No. No, it's just, I got this feeling, like we've met before, just now."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Very odd. It's probably nothing though." Egon headed upstairs and Clara followed behind him. _Hmm, he's not bad looking_, she thought. _But, where have I seen him before?_

"Winston, where are Peter and Ray?" Egon asked when he and Clara entered the living room.

"They're out on a bust. Couple of Class Twos, this time. They said it would be routine."

"I see. Anyway, this is Clara Hamilton. She is our new team member. Clara, this is Winston Zeddemore."

"Wassup homegirl?" Winston greeted, tapping fists with Clara.

"Well, seeing as Ray and Peter aren't here yet, I'll take you down to the basement, where our containment unit is." Egon led Clara back downstairs. Just as they reached the main floor, the ECTO-1 was pulling in. Ray and Peter were back. "It looks like Ray and Peter have returned. Ray? Peter?" Egon took Clara over to meet them. "We have a new team member. I want to introduce you to Clara Hamilton."

"Welcome aboard." Ray greeted. He pulled out two smoking traps. "Here, can you hold these for a minute?" Ray handed them to Clara.

"Uh, thanks." Clara held them away, crinkling her nose at the stench emanating from them. "What exactly do I do with them?"

"Consider that your initiation. And welcome to Hell on Earth." Peter said. Clara tried not to laugh.

"Pay no attention to him. We never do." Egon told her. "I'll show you how to load the traps." Egon took Clara down to the basement.

"This our Ecto-Containment Unit, the main storage facility where we put away all the ghosts, demons and other assorted supernatural nuisances." Egon took one of the traps that Clara was holding. "First, you open this panel. Then, you load the trap, handle facing towards you, of course." Egon put the trap into the loading panel and pulled it back out. "Close up the loading panel. Then you set your entry grid. Watch carefully." Egon pressed a sequence of buttons. "Finally, pull this handle. As Ray says, 'Light is green, trap is clean'."

"Hmm, looks easy enough." Clara remarked.

"Now you give it a try." Tentatively, Clara took the other trap that she had with her and loaded it into the containment unit. "You're doing just fine." Egon told her, sensing her apprehension. Trying to remember the sequence Egon showed her, Clara set the entry grid. _Here goes nothing_, she thought, then pulled the lever. _Whew!_ Clara thought with relief when the light turned green. "You're a quick study. This is very promising." Egon said.

"Thanks" Clara replied as they went back upstairs.

* * *

><p>As Janine was working the next day, Egon wanted to make sure she was introduced to Clara. "Hey Janine, I'd like you meet our new team member."<p>

"Oh, you guys finally settled on someone?" Janine asked, looking up from her typing.

"We still have to get her out in the field and trained on the use of a proton pack, but so far, she's shown promise. This is Clara Hamilton." Janine noticed that Egon had his hand on Clara's shoulder, and felt a small pang of jealousy. _Chill_, she thought to herself, _it's not what you think_. Janine quickly pushed the feeling to the back of her mind.

"Hi," She greeted cheerfully, shaking Clara's hand, "Janine Melnitz."

"Nice to meet you." Clara replied.

"So, how about we go upstairs? I have some work to do in the lab, but I think the other are watching TV." Egon offered to Clara, "Free time can be a rarity in our work sometimes."

"I'll bet." Clara responded as she followed him. "Oh, Janine, did you want to join us?"

"Thanks, but I got these reports to type up." Janine replied. She stared for a moment as Clara went upstairs, then got back to her typing.

* * *

><p>Over the next few weeks, work was relatively routine. In between calls, work was also done on building a separate room for Clara, and eventually her stuff was moved out of the apartment she had been living in previously. Since Clara was still adjusting to the job, she would let the guys do most of the zapping and trapping as she was still unsure of herself and whether she would be able to perform her duties as a Ghostbuster well enough to expectations.<p>

However, nothing would prepare the guys, and her for this next and latest adversary they were about to face.

It happened just a few days after one of their more routine assignments. Everyone was upstairs watching TV when fifteen minutes into the program they watching, the alarm went off. It was time for another assignment. "What is it this time Janine?" Peter asked, "Hope it's not that nasty Class 5 repeater again."

"Nope, a ghost is terrorizing the business district. A really ugly one at that."

"I thought they were all ugly." Peter said. Janine just smirked, saying nothing,

"Maybe this one's a special kind of ugly?" Winston quipped.

"Let's Roll!" Ray shouted as they all climbed into the ECTO-1 and drove off.

* * *

><p>"Alright, where's the ghost? He's gonna pay for disturbing my TV time!" Peter shouted.<p>

"I'm right here, Peter Venkman." A loud, eerie voice replied. Then they saw it. And he was huge.

"How did you know my name?"

"I know everybody's name. Past, and Present." The ghost replied with a cackle.

"Janine was right. That is one ugly ghost." Ray remarked.

"Man, he looks worse than the devil." Winston commented.

"Yeah, but when did the devil have just one eye?" Clara asked.

"I am more than the devil. I am the Hatemaster. I am all that is evil! Mwah-ha-ha-ha!" he laughed evilly.

"Alright that's enough! It's fryin' time!" Ray shouted.

"Fire!" Egon commanded, "Full stream!" As they fired their particle throwers, the Hatemaster zapped at them simultaneously, sending a feedback pulse into their proton packs. The shock was powerful enough to knock all five of them down.

"Ow, man that smarts." Winston groaned.

"Anyone get the number on that truck?" Peter asked, dazed.

"Now worthless mortals, feel the power of hate!" The Hatemaster blasted them from his one eye before they could recover. His power radiated throughout their bodies. Clara was the only one who wasn't affected. Then, the Hatemaster vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Everyone struggled, moaning and groaning as they got up.

"Well that was a big bust." Egon growled bitterly.

"Ah cram it egghead!" Ray snapped.

"What did you say?" Egon yelled back.

"Hey, hey. Chill out guys." Clara got in between them.

"Oh spare me your nonsense Know-It-All!"

"Egon!"

"You're the Know-It-All!" Winston shouted.

"Watch your mouth or I'll bash your cranium in!" Egon raised his fist.

"Just try it brainiac!"

"Guys! Why are you acting like this?" Clara asked.

"Maybe because fatty her didn't charge the proton packs high enough." Peter sneered.

"You talking to me?" Ray asked angrily.

"Course I'm talking to you , I'm looking at you!" Peter retorted.

"Why I aughta..." Ray pushed Peter.

"You wanna fight? You got a fight!" Peter shoved Ray back.

"Guys!" Clara pleaded.

"Stay out of this!" Peter and Ray yelled at her.

"Alright that's it! I've had enough of this! I'm leaving!" Egon growled, pushing past Peter and Ray.

"Yeah." Winston added.

"Same here." Ray muttered.

"Me too." Peter glowered. They all stormed off in separate directions. Clara grabbed Egon's arm, but he shoved her aside.

"Leave me alone!"

"But, Egon! Guys!" Clara protested, trying to stop them. "Wait! Where are you going?"

* * *

><p>Clara was totally alone. She tried to follow the others, reason with them. But they were under complete control by the Hatemaster's spell. Now, other citizens were falling to the Hatemaster. On the walk back to the firehouse, Clara could see various people arguing with each other. Road Rage was even made worse. All Clara could do was keep out of everyone's way. Suddenly, the Hatemaster appeared before her. "You may have escaped, but now, you're mine." He said, grinning, advancing towards her. Clara pulled out her particle thrower, backing away, her eyes darting wildly from side to side. "Your friends can't help you now!"<p>

"Maybe not, but I will!" Clara yelled, firing at the Hatemaster. But her aim was still not spot on, and she was unsteady on her feet from the force of the beam.

"HA HA HA HA!" The Hatemaster taunted as Clara hit a nearby building, "Stupid human!" He zapped her with a hate spell from his eye. But Clara was still not affected. "Why won't you fall?" He growled in frustration.

"Maybe it's just not your day!" Clara yelled, firing her beam again, this time catching the Hatemaster. She pulled out her trap and laid it down. As she did so, the Hatemaster managed to break free from the stream. "What the-?"

"I'll deal with you later!" The Hatemaster glared, then vanished.

"Shit! I almost had him!" Clara grumbled, frustrated.

* * *

><p>Finally, she made it back to the firehouse. Janine was still at her desk, talking on the phone trying to get someone to calm down. "Clara what's going on? I'm getting calls from all over the city, like all hell is breaking loose." She asked after hanging up.<p>

"All hell IS breaking loose." Clara told her.

"What happened to the guys?"

"They got zapped by the ghost, and now they're gone, fighting amongst themselves."

"We gotta find them, stop them." Janine said.

"They won't listen. I tried before. Besides, it's getting scary out there. Citizens are being zapped left, right and center, and they're all arguing and fighting too." Clara explained.

"What the hell kind of ghost is this?" Janine asked.

"He calls himself the Hatemaster. His hate spells seem to come from this one eye of his."

"How come you weren't affected?"

"That's the thing. I have no idea. He's twice tried to attack me."

"Let's check upstairs. Perhaps this Hatemaster is listed somewhere." Janine suggested as they ran upstairs. "Ray usually checks Tobin's Spirit Guide as his major reference point." Janine pulled out the book and flipped through it. As she did so, she caught a glimpse of Clara's arm, and the bracelet she was wearing. It seemed to be glowing. "Clara, am I imagining things or is that bracelet glowing?" Clara looked at her arm.

"Hmm, you're right. But I don't know why it would do that."

"Maybe it's a residual effect of your being zapped at. What is that anyway? It looks like an eye." Janine pointed at the single blue bead, held in between two black bands. The middle of the bead had a white dot painted on it, along with a black dot in the center of the white dot.

"It's a Middle Eastern tradition, started in Turkey. Legend had it that if you, your animals and other possessions either wore these blue beads or had them painted on, it protects against what's called 'The Evil Eye'." Then, it dawned on Clara, "You know, The Hatemaster only had one eye. What if he's a physical representation?"

"Of the Evil Eye?" Janine asked.

"It could be possible." Clara replied as Janine cross-referenced the information.

"So who gave you that bracelet?"

"My grandmother. She was from Turkey, and she made money selling them. Plus they were hand-made."

"Here's something in Tobin's. The Hatemaster is thought to be a physical manifestation of human evil. His one eye also has given him the other name of 'The Evil Eye'." Janine read. "Looks like the Turks knew what they were talking about."

"Then maybe this bracelet did protect me." Clara said. "Janine, I'm going to need your help. But first, I know where we can find you one of those bracelets. I just hope the Hatemaster hasn't tried to attack anybody over there." Janine got out the extra proton pack from storage and put it on. Getting into Janine's VW Bug, they made their way into the city.

* * *

><p>"Whew! That was a close call." Janine remarked when they got back to the firehouse. She was now wearing a necklace with a similar blue bead that Clara had on her bracelet. "It's getting crazier out there. I hope that when the Hatemaster is finally gone, the spells will wear off. Are you sure this necklace will be enough to protect me?"<p>

"I guess we'll soon find out." Clara replied. Just then, the firehouse doors blew wide open, but no one was there. Janine and Clara both pulled out their throwers, ready for whatever came at them. Then the Hatemaster made his appearance.

"Well, what do we have here?"

"Just us girls. And you're going down, ugly!" Janine roared.

"Let's see you try!" The Hatemaster raised its hands, blasting at Janine and Clara. Janine ducked as the Hatemaster hit the filing cabinets.

"Hey! Do you have any idea how long it takes to organize those?" Janine yelled, firing her particle thrower, and missed. The Hatemaster responded by blasting at her, but hitting the desk. "I'm warning you!"

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Clara shouted, trying to fire her beam, but still had trouble controlling it's direction.

"You still think you can beat me do you? Well you can't, puny human! Now, feel the power of hate!" The Hatemaster zapped at Clara and Janine with his eye. Clara remained unaffected yet again. But what about Janine? Clara got back up.

"Your power is useless!" Clara yelled.

"I don't think so." Janine sneered, aiming her thrower at Clara.

"Huh? Janine, what are you-"

"I said, I don't think so, bitch! Now move your ass!" Janine yelled, her finger poised on the trigger.

"Janine, now don't do anything rash. You're not yourself." Clara tried to reason with her, but Janine would not have any of it. She raised her particle thrower, and aimed at Clara, ready to fire. Clara closed her eyes, waiting for the end.

"Heh heh heh heh, it's all over for you now, pitiful human." The Hatemaster laughed with glee.

"Wrong! It's over for you!" Janine shouted, whipped around and fired her particle beam, catching the Hatemaster. "Clara! Get your trap!" After realizing that Janine had fooled the Hatemaster, Clara unhooked her trap.

""I'm still not good at trapping." She told Janine.

"Well now's a good time to learn! I can't hold him off for long!" This time, Clara threw the trap across the floor and hoped it was underneath where it needed to be.

"Here goes nothing." Clara said, stomping on the pedal. It worked. The Hatemaster was caught, finally done for.

"No! NOOOO! I almost won! I was so close!" He roared as he was sucked into the trap, his angry screams cut off by the doors snapping shut.

"I, did it." Clara looked shocked.

"Woo-hoo!" Janine cheered. "Score one for the girls!" She and Clara high-fived each other.

"But do you think the spells he put everyone under have worn off?" Clara asked.

"I guess we'll soon find out."

* * *

><p>While that had been going on, out in Central Park, a crowd had gathered. All of them were chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!". In the middle of the crowd were two of the Ghostbusters, Peter and Egon. Earlier they had bumped into each other and words were exchanged. Now it escalated into an all-out bar-style brawl. With a kick to the stomach, Peter had Egon sprawled on the ground.<p>

"Get up, egghead!" Peter sneered. After several seconds passed, Egon lunged at Peter in a rage, tackling him to the ground. The two of them struggled, until Peter managed to get one of his arms free, and landed a blow on Egon's face. It was hard enough to knock his glasses off. Peter pushed Egon off of him and got up. Egon got up and tried to throw a punch, but missed, allowing Peter to hit him again, this time in the nose. Blood trickled down Egon's face as he fell back onto the ground again, and Peter was about to kick him, until, it was almost like a black cloud had lifted. The Hatemaster's spell had broken. Egon and Peter, along with the rest of the crowd which included Winston and Ray, all looked very confused.

"Whoa, uh, what just happened?" Winston asked

"Yeah, weren't we fighting the Hatemaster a few minutes ago?" Ray said.

"I know." Winston looked at his watch. "Hey, look how much time has passed." Egon was on his hands and knees, looking for his glasses, blood still dripping from his nose.

"I feel like the floors of several taxicabs." Egon groaned, putting his glasses on. He wiped his face, getting blood on his hand. "Why am I bleeding?"

"And why do I have blood on my hand?" Peter asked. They put two and two together. "Egon, did I hit you?"

"I am uncertain as to whether you did. But if so, I'm sure it was unintentional. You were probably under the Hatemaster's influence."

"I think we were all under his influence." Winston said

"Speaking of which, what happened to the Hatemaster anyway?" Ray asked.

"Since we're no longer under his influence, it would appear the Hatemaster has been dealt with." Egon replied.

"Yeah, but by whom?" Peter asked.

"I'm guessing Clara. Or even Janine." Winston said.

* * *

><p>"Boy are we glad to see you guys." Clara said as they returned to the firehouse. She and Janine went to greet them. "It looks like the spell is broken."<p>

"Egon, what happened? You're bleeding."Janine asked, pointing at the blood on his uniform.

"It was a mere septum injury." Egon replied, "But I'm fine now."

"What I don't understand is, how come you weren't affected by the spell." Ray said to Clara.

"Well, I figured it was this." Clara showed Ray her bracelet.

"Oh yeah, I've seen those before. It's a Turkish custom, right?"

"Yes. My grandmother was Turkish, and she gave this to me."

"It took some research, but it turned out this Hatemaster is a physical manifestation of evil, and his one eye gave him the other name of 'The Evil Eye'." Janine added.

"So on a hunch, Janine and I went to the flea market where I know someone there who also sells these blue beads, so that Janine would be protected. But she sure had me going when I thought it hadn't worked."

"Well, I had to make it look that way for a reason. It fooled the Hatemaster, right?"

"Yeah." Clara high-fived Janine again. She picked up the trap. "Now that everything's over, I want to get this creep on ice."

"It's all yours" Egon said as he and Clara went downstairs to the basement.

**The End**


End file.
